Suncare, Everywhere

Skincare, Or Something More? 

If one product category dispels myths of cosmetics being unregulated or unsafe, it’s SPF. Sunscreens aren’t just the final step of your skincare routine, they hold a special significance beyond average cosmetics. 

All SPF products are classified as Over-The-Counter drugs. Because sunscreens are drugs, they are meticulously regulated in their countries of sale. Each country possesses its own laws, testing processes and even packaging requirements, meaning an SPF formulated in one country isn’t necessarily able to be commercialized in another. For the US, this role lies in the hands of the FDA, the agency monitoring the percentage of a formula’s active SPF ingredients, the product’s stability over time and efficacy, and even the package labeling. 

There is no “universal” SPF, creating a unique challenge for beauty brands of all sizes. 

For more information on international SPF rules, the FDA and European Commission offer great examples.  SPF 101

Before we talk about products, we should dive into a brief SPF lesson. Afterwards, consider yourself eternally impressive to beauty counter sales associates when restocking your next summer routine. 

The sun emits three types of ultraviolet rays: 

UVA: Longer, “Aging” rays

UVB: Shorter, “Burning” rays 

UVC: Blocked by the Earth’s atmosphere

SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, measures how well a sunscreen protects skin from UVB rays, which cause sunburn. UVA rays are blocked by sunscreens with “broad spectrum” on the label. Both types of light contribute to aging and skin cancer, but in different ways. High SPF offers more protection, but no sunscreen blocks 100% of ultraviolet rays, which is why re-application is so important.  Chemical versus Physical Sunscreens 

A sunscreen’s SPF is powered by a regulated ingredient that protects skin from UV damage. This ingredient can take one of two forms: 

1. Physical Sunscreen: Scattering and reflecting UV radiation

2. Chemical Sunscreen: Absorbing UV radiation and converting it to heat, then releasing it from skin
   

Some may feel sensitive to chemical sunscreens and experience irritation, or just dislike the ideological concept of it. Both forms, however, are proven to be safe and effective by the FDA, and other international regulatory bodies that review and approve sunscreens.

Texture: That “Sunscreen” Feeling 

Modern sunscreens, whether physical or chemical, have come a long way since their origins. Remember the days of thick, opaque creams that left a white cast on skin? Picture the classic pool lifeguard with white paste across his nose. This is not necessarily a product you’d imagine wearing beyond the beach, let alone throughout a day involving the indoors. 

New, layering-friendly textures combine with interesting product formats that can be comfortably worn, re-applied and layered with other products. The halls of Sephora are of course familiar with the new standard of sunscreen, and fortunately innovation continues with new formats launching to make sunscreen a more consistent habit when protecting our skin. 

Sunscreen, Sunscreen Everywhere

Sunscreen’s historic legacy has been its difficulty to adapt into skincare and makeup while remaining “cosmetically elegant”. Needed beyond a sandy beach and to be worn every day, incorporating SPF into hybrid skincare and makeup is a product development challenge, but wonderful asset to daily routines. One benefit of chemical sunscreens are their magic of invisibility, being more transparent and likely to flatter a wider range of skin tones. The powder nature of some some physical SPF like mineral sunscreens, can be cleverly adapted to suit its texture.

Product n°1: Supergoop! 100% Mineral (Re)setting Powder Face Sunscreen SPF 35

Product n°2: Ultra Violette Preen Screen SPF Reapplication Mist Product n°3: Ciele Blush & Protect SPF 50+ Liquid Blush Source: Sephora

The most complicated barrier to effective sun protection isn’t the formula, it’s behavior. Reapplication, to be specific. Realistically, most of us won’t reapply an SPF lotion throughout the day, on top of a full face of makeup. But we will lightly dust a setting powder conveniently loaded with SPF, or swipe on another coat of protective lip balm. 

Modern SPF hybrid products bring the much-needed ability to layer SPF. When infused into a product with creating significant change to its opacity and shade, infinite new doors are opened for makeup developments. 

So, back to product development. When approaching sunscreen, our challenge isn’t just to create a function formula and navigate regulatory hurdles (while that remains to be unavoidable). It’s making SPF integrate seamlessly into a routine as a product you’ll want to wear daily, without thinking twice.